Water and electrolyte homeostasis is a crucial aspect of human physiology and pathophysiology. Major organs involved in this homeostasis include, but are not limited to, the intestine and kidneys, and disturbances therein can affect almost every organ system. With the basis of this concept, the West Coast Salt and Water Club (WCSWC) was initiated in the early 1960s as a transport physiology club and has since expanded to include ion and solute transport, epithelial cell biology, and cellular regulatory mechanisms in a variety of systems. This application requests funds for the 2013 WCSWC nd meeting to be held in Morro Bay, California, March 8-9. This meeting represents the 32 in a unique series of annual interdisciplinary meetings focused on the role of epithelial transport and inter-/intra-cellular communication mechanisms. Since its initiation, this annual meeting has prided itself on bringing together junior investigators and established leaders in the field to present their latest unpublished findings and engage in meaningful scientific and social interactions. The informal nature of the WCSWC is unique in fostering discussions that span multiple disciplines and enables new personal and scientific connections to develop. As a consequence, an extraordinarily high number of scientists return to this conference annually. The participants are a good mix of basic scientists and clinicians who share common interests in the regulation of normal and diseased. The 2013 keynote speakers will cover two important topics relevant to the NIDDK: (i) the role of the proximal tubule for the diabetic kidney and (ii) he role of adenosine in sickle cell disease. The objectives of this conference are to: (a) provide a forum that allows investigators to present work on a range of subjects, including ion and solute transport, epithelial cell biology, and intracellular regulatory mechanisms in a variety of systems (b) foster an inclusive, intense, lively and interactive atmosphere that highlights the latest research in the field and enlightens participants by providing a deeper understanding of unresolved issues; (c) bring together scientists from several disciplines that would benefit from crosstalk but do not typically or consistently interact with each other; and (d) provide a continuing forum for fostering productive collaborations and attracting young investigators (graduate students, postdocs and junior faculty), particularly women, minorities and disabled individuals, to the field. All presentations during the meeting are exciting, timely and aim to translate new findings into a better understanding of disease mechanisms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Previous participants regularly look forward to this meeting, and new attendees and young scientists recognize it as an invaluable learning and career experience.